the underground city-第14部分

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ut　all　this　while　Harry　felt　irresistibly　animated　by　the　hope　of　finding　the　mysterious　being　whose　intervention；　strictly　speaking；　had　saved　himself　and　his　friends。　　Would

he　succeed？　　He　certainly　would；　if　presentiments　were　to　be　trusted；　but　certainly　not；　if　he　judged　by　the　success　which　had　as　yet　attended　his　researches。

The　attacks　directed　against　the　family　of　the　old　overman；　before　the　discovery　of　New　Aberfoyle；　had　not　been　renewed。


CHAPTER　XI　HANGING　BY　A　THREAD


ALTHOUGH　in　this　way　the　Ford　family　led　a　happy　and　contented　life；　yet　it　was　easy　to　see　that　Harry；　naturally　of　a　grave　disposition；　became　more　and　more　quiet　and　reserved。　　Even　Jack　Ryan；　with　all　his　good　humor　and　usually　infectious　merriment；　failed　to　rouse　him　to　gayety　of　manner。

One　Sundayit　was　in　the　month　of　Junethe　two　friends　were　walking　together　on　the　shores　of　Loch　Malcolm。　　Coal　Town　rested　from　labor。　　In　the　world　above；　stormy　weather　prevailed。　Violent　rains　fell；　and　dull　sultry　vapors　brooded　over　the　earth；　the　atmosphere　was　most　oppressive。

Down　in　Coal　Town　there　was　perfect　calm；　no　wind；　no　rain。　A　soft　and　pleasant　temperature　existed　instead　of　the　strife　of　the　elements　which　raged　without。　　What　wonder　then；　that　excursionists　from　Stirling　came　in　considerable　numbers　to　enjoy　the　calm　fresh　air　in　the　recesses　of　the　mine？

The　electric　discs　shed　a　brilliancy　of　light　which　the　British　sun；　oftener　obscured　by　fogs　than　it　ought　to　be；　might　well　envy。　Jack　Ryan　kept　talking　of　these　visitors；　who　passed　them　in　noisy　crowds；　but　Harry　paid　very　little　attention　to　what　he　said。

〃I　say；　do　look；　Harry！〃　cried　Jack。　　〃See　what　numbers　of　people　come　to　visit　us！　　Cheer　up；　old　fellow！　　Do　the　honors　of　the　place　a　little　better。　　If　you　look　so　glum；　you'll　make　all　these　outside　folks　think　you　envy　their　life　above…ground。〃

〃Never　mind　me；　Jack；〃　answered　Harry。　　〃You　are　jolly　enough　for　two；　I'm　sure；　that's　enough。〃

〃I'll　be　hanged　if　I　don't　feel　your　melancholy　creeping　over　me　though！〃　exclaimed　Jack。　　〃I　declare　my　eyes

are　getting　quite　dull；　my　lips　are　drawn　together；　my　laugh　sticks　in　my　throat；　I'm　forgetting　all　my　songs。　Come；　man；　what's　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃You　know　well　enough；　Jack。〃

〃What？　the　old　story？〃

〃Yes；　the　same　thoughts　haunt　me。〃

〃Ah；　poor　fellow！〃　said　Jack；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃If　you　would　only　do　like　me；　and　set　all　the　queer　things　down　to　the　account　of　the　goblins　of　the　mine；　you　would　be　easier　in　your　mind。〃

〃But；　Jack；　you　know　very　well　that　these　goblins　exist　only　in　your　imagination；　and　that；　since　the　works　here　have　been　reopened；　not　a　single　one　has　been　seen。〃

〃That's　true；　Harry；　but　if　no　spirits　have　been　seen；　neither　has　anyone　else　to　whom　you　could　attribute　the　extraordinary　doings　we　want　to　account　for。〃

〃I　shall　discover　them。〃

〃Ah；　Harry！　　Harry！　it's　not　so　easy　to　catch　the　spirits　of　New　Aberfoyle！〃

〃I　shall　find　out　the　spirits　as　you　call　them；〃　said　Harry；　in　a　tone　of　firm　conviction。

〃Do　you　expect　to　be　able　to　punish　them？〃

〃Both　punish　and　reward。　　Remember；　if　one　hand　shut　us　up　in　that　passage；　another　hand　delivered　us！　　I　shall　not　soon　forget　that。〃

〃But；　Harry；　how　can　we　be　sure　that　these　two　hands　do　not　belong　to　the　same　body？〃

〃What　can　put　such　a　notion　in　your　head；　Jack？〃　asked　Harry。

〃Well；　I　don't　know。　　Creatures　that　live　in　these　holes；　Harry；　don't　you　see？　they　can't　be　made　like　us；　eh？〃

〃But　they　ARE　just　like　us；　Jack。〃

〃Oh；　no！　don't　say　that；　Harry！　　Perhaps　some　madman　managed　to　get　in　for　a　time。〃

〃A　madman！　　No　madman　would　have　formed　such　connected　plans；　or　done　such　continued　mischief　as　befell　us　after　the　breaking　of　the　ladders。〃

〃Well；　but　anyhow　he　has　done　no　harm　for　the　last　three　years；　either　to　you；　Harry；　or　any　of　your　people。〃

〃No　matter；　Jack；〃　replied　Harry；　〃I　am　persuaded　that　this　malignant　being；　whoever　he　is；　has　by　no　means　given　up　his　evil　intentions。　I　can　hardly　say　on　what　I

found　my　convictions。　　But　at　any　rate；　for　the　sake　of　the　new　works；　I　must　and　will　know　who　he　is　and　whence　he　comes。〃

〃For　the　sake　of　the　new　works　did　you　say？〃　asked　Jack；　considerably　surprised。

〃I　said　so；　Jack；〃　returned　Harry。　　〃I　may　be　mistaken；　but；　to　me；　all　that　has　happened　proves　the　existence　of　an　interest　in　this　mine　in　strong　opposition　to　ours。　Many　a　time　have　I　considered　the　matter；　I　feel　almost　sure　of　it。　Just　consider　the　whole　series　of　inexplicable　circumstances；　so　singularly　linked　together。　　To　begin　with；　the　anonymous　letter；　contradictory　to　that　of　my　father；　at　once　proves　that　some　man　had　become　aware　of　our　projects；　and　wished　to　prevent　their　accomplishment。　　Mr。　Starr　comes　to　see　us　at　the　Dochart　pit。　No　sooner　does　he　enter　it　with　me　than　an　immense　stone　is　cast　upon　us；　and　communication　is　interrupted　by　the　breaking　of　the　ladders　in　the　Yarrow　shaft。　　We　commence　exploring。　An　experiment；　by　which　the　existence　of　a　new　vein　would　be　proved；　is　rendered　impossible　by　stoppage　of　fissures。　Notwithstanding　this；　the　examination　is　carried　out；　the　vein　discovered。　　We　return　as　we　came；　a　prodigious　gust　of　air　meets　us；　our　lamp　is　broken；　utter　darkness　surrounds　us。　　Nevertheless；　we　make　our　way　along　the　gloomy　passage　until；　on　reaching　the　entrance；　we　find　it　blocked　up。　There　we　wereimprisoned。　　Now；　Jack；　don't　you　see　in　all　these　things　a　malicious　intention？　　Ah；　yes；　believe　me；　some　being　hitherto　invisible；　but　not　supernatural；　as　you　will　persist　in　thinking；　was　concealed　in　the　mine。　　For　some　reason；　known　only　to　himself；　he　strove　to　keep　us　out　of　it。　WAS　there；　did　I　say？　　I　feel　an　inward　conviction　that　he　IS　there　still；　and　probably　prepares　some　terrible　disaster　for　us。　Even　at　the　risk　of　my　life；　Jack；　I　am　resolved　to　discover　him。〃

Harry　spoke　with　an　earnestness　which　strongly　impressed　his　companion。　〃Well；　Harry；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　am　forced　to　agree　with　you　in　certain　points；　won't　you　admit　that　some　kind　fairy　or　brownie；　by　bringing　bread　and　water　to　you；　was　the　means　of〃

〃Jack；　my　friend；〃　interrupted　Harry；　〃it　is　my　belief　that　the　friendly　person；　whom　you　will　persist　in　calling　a　spirit；　exists　in　the　mine　as　certainly　as　the　criminal　we

speak　of；　and　I　mean　to　seek　them　both　in　the　most　distant　recesses　of　the　mine。〃

〃But；〃　inquired　Jack；　〃have　you　any　possible　clew　to　guide　your　search？〃

〃Perhaps　I　have。　　Listen　to　me！　　Five　miles　west　of　New　Aberfoyle；　under　the　solid　rock　which　supports　Ben　Lomond；　there　exists　a　natural　shaft　which　descends　perpendicularly　into　the　vein　beneath。　A　week　ago　I　went　to　ascertain　the　depth　of　this　shaft。　While　sounding　it；　and　bending　over　the　opening　as　my　plumb…line　went　down；　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　air　within　was　agitated；　as　though　beaten　by　huge　wings。〃

〃Some　bird　must　have　got　lost　among　the　lower　galleries；〃　replied　Jack。

〃But　that　is　not　all；　Jack。　　This　very　morning　I　went　back　to　the　place；　and；　listening　attentively；　I　thought　I　could　detect　a　sound　like　a　sort　of　groaning。〃

〃Groaning！〃　cried　Jack；　〃that　must　be　nonsense；　it　was　a　current　of　air　unless　indeed　some　ghost〃

〃I　shall　know　to…morrow　what　it　was；〃　said　Harry。

〃To…morrow？〃　answered　Jack；　looking　at　his　friend。

〃Yes；　to…morrow　I　am　going　down　into　that　abyss。〃

〃Harry！　that　will　be　a　tempting　of　Providence。〃

〃No；　Jack；　Providence　will　aid　me　in　the　attempt。　　Tomorrow；　you　and　some　of　our　comrades　will　go　with　me　to　that　shaft。　I　will　fasten　myself　to　a　long　rope；　by　which　you　can　let　me　down；　and　draw　me　up　at　a　given　signal。　　I　may　depend　upon　you；　Jack？〃

〃Well；　Harry；〃　said　Jack；　shaking　his　head；　〃I　will　do　as　you　wish　me；　but　I　tell　you　all　the　same；　you　are　very　wrong。〃

〃Nothing　venture　nothing　win；〃　said　Harry；　in　a　tone　of　decision。　〃To…morrow　morning；　then；　at　six　o'clock。　Be　silent；　and　farewell！〃

It　must　be　admitted　that　Jack　Ryan's　fears　were　far　from　groundless。　Harry　would　expose　himself　to　very　great　danger；　supposing　the　enemy　he　sought　for　lay　concealed　at　the　bottom　of　the　pit　into　which　he　was　going　to　descend。　　It　did　not　seem　likely　that　such　was　the　case；　however。

〃Why　in　the　world；〃　repeated　Jack　Ryan；　〃should　he　take　all　this　trouble　to　account　for　a　set　of　facts　so　very

easily　and　simply　explained　by　the　supernatural　intervention　of　the　spirits　of　the　mine？〃

But；　notwithstanding　his　objections　to　the　scheme；　Jack　Ryan　and　three　miners　of　his　gang　arrived　next　morning　with　Harry　at　the　mouth　of　the　opening　of　the　suspicious　shaft。　　Harry　had　not　mentioned　his　intentions　either　to　James　Starr　or　to　the　old　overman。　Jack　had　been　discreet　enough　to　say　nothing。

Harry　had　provided　himself　with　a　rope　about　200　feet　long。　It　was　not　particularly　thick；　but　very　strongsufficiently　so　to　sustain　his　weight。　　His　friends　were　to　let　him　down　into　the　gulf；　and　his　pulling　the　cord　was　to　be　the　signal　to　withdraw　him。

The　opening　into　this　shaft　or　well　was　twelve　feet　wide。　A　beam　was　thrown　across　like　a　bridge；　so　that　the　cord　passing　over　it　should　hang　down　the　center　of　the　opening；　and　save　Harry　from　striking　against　the　sides　in　his　descent。

He　was　ready。

〃Are　you　still　determined　to　explore　this　abyss？〃　whispered　Jack　Ryan。

〃Yes；　I　am；　Jack。〃

The　cord　was　fastened　round　Harry's　thighs　and　under　his　arms；　to　keep　him　from　rocking。　　Thus　supported；　he　was　free　to　use　both　his　hands。　　A　safety…lamp　hung　at　his　belt；　also　a　large；　strong　knife　in　a　leather　sheath。

Harry　advanced　to　the　middle　of　the　beam；　around　which　the　cord　was　passed。　　Then　his　friends　began　to　let　him　down；　and　he　slowly　sank　into　the　pit。　　As　the　rope　caused　him　to　swing　gently　round　and　round；　the　light　of　his　lamp　fell　in　turns　on　all　points　of　the　side　walls；　so　that　he　was　able　to　examine　them　carefully。　These　walls　consisted　of　pit　coal；　and　so　smooth　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　ascend　them。

Harry　calculated　that　he　was　going　down　at　the　rate　of　about　a　foot　per　second；　so　that　he　had　time　to　look　about　him；　and　be　ready　for　any　event。

During　two　minutesthat　is　to　say；　to　the　depth　of　about　120　feet；　the　descent　c